I am starting to research some options for a a new rig that hopefully I will buy in 3 months or so. I am waiting for my contract position to end and become an FTE.

While I am the type of person that will change their mind a million times I want to start to narrow down some options. I really like the mid to late 2000's 4runners and tacoma's but they are all so frigging overpriced it is crazy. For example my boss is selling his 2003 tacoma crew cab TRD and will probably get 17k for it. It is as nice of a 2003 as you can get and has a nice canopy but that is crazy talk for a rig with over 100k.

I work in a fairly populated area and have to park in a parking garage so I think the biggest rig I would want to go with is maybe a tahoe or yukon. I would really like a pickup with a canopy because I have a dog and it would be nice to be able to just let her hang out in the bed when I am taking her somewhere so I don't have to deal with fur everywhere inside. That said there aren't tons of Frontier pickups out there to choose from so I am considering looking at SUVs as well.

Does anybody have any thoughts on the the mid 2000's Frontiers, pathfinders or Tahoe/yukons(non denali or escalade)? I will be looking at crew cab trucks and all options will be 4wd. I would long be looking at the tahoe/yukons with the 5.3 and the 4.0 in the nissans.

I had a 2001 Tahoe 5.3L - best driving rig I have ever owned and was likely my favorite vehicle of all time. Bad for towing - under powered and those era chevy/gmc's had horrible braking. I think they got the braking figured out in the 2004 range and in 06 I think moved to the 6.0. The 5.7 would be a ok option but the 6.0/6.2L had some balls.

Hell if you want a truck - get a used K1500 chevy or GMC - same basic dimensions as a Tahoe without the fur problem.

I've got a 2003 Yukon XL SLT 4x4 w/ 90k on the 5.3L. Overall I like it. It's got metal bumpers and looks like the truck of the same generation. The 2007+ (And especially the 2015) have a look more along the lines of big cars with plastic, painted bumpers and a low look. I think the newer ones definitely look good but it's just a completely different look.

The engine is perfectly acceptable but it's nowhere near the beast that my 5.7L Hemi Dodge was. MPG is crap. Worse than the dodge but it was 2wd and lighter. I can't really explain it but I have a much stronger emotional bond with the Yukon than I ever did with the Dodge.

I've had a lot of misc electrical/software issues with goofy stuff with the Yukon.

There is a software issue with the 6 way seat controller that causes that computer to malfunction and even fail somewhat catastrophically. If you catch it before it fails it's a 1 hr of labor at the dealer fix for them to update the software. This isn't fixed until 2006 but may have been fixed after the fact on older models. If your seat controls go whacky then stop using them until you can get it to the dealer fro the update. Mine almost caught the vehicle on fire and I had to replace it with a $218 aftermarket seat control computer from Doorman. The OE one was like $600. It's a 30 min job should you have to replace it.

There's a software anomaly on the HVAC controls that causes some random weirdness. It tries to move the actuator motors for the blend doors too far sometimes and results in the actuators ticking/chirping rhythmically and ultimately failing. This can be updated by the dealer if the mechanic knows what they're doing. The trick is to get them to update the software without throwing parts at it first.

The earlier revision blower resistors for the AC tended to give off a burning smell and cause faster fan speeds to fail. This was like $35 and 5 minutes to replace.

The aspirators in the ceiling (Little computer fans that sample the air for temperature) for the auto climate controls tend to get noisy with age. This is particularly irritating as there's one right above the driver's head. These were $25 each (2 required) and took 15 mins to replace.

Overall I've spent maybe $400 in misc. parts and a few hours to resolve all of the above misc problems and It's a good vehicle. Many of the issues I've mentioned may have been resolved under warranty it's just that mine only had like 67,000 miles on it at the beginning of 2013 when I bought it. It had sat in a garage for almost all of it's life because the family's kids all started driving so the mother moved to a smaller car while hanging onto the Yukon for several years. A vehicle that was driven more regularly may have had more of them addressed already.

out of curiosity, why aren't you comparing the yukon/tahoe to the armada/QX56?

They are pretty much exactly the same size. The armada/QX will out tow the 5.3L short wheel base GMs all day long. But they are thirsty. Our QX never did better than 15mpg ever, and towing was under 10. I did have BFG AT tires on it tho, so I'm sure that wasn't helping fuel economy.

Also the armada/QX has a much much much better fold flat third row seat than the big clunky removable thing in the GMs.

One of my friends has an '06 Pathfinder V6 4wd. There's a common issue with cross contamination between the coolant/radiator and the integrated trans cooler. It trashes the transmission if it happens. The solution is to disconnect the integrated cooler and put in a separate, aftermarket one. It's a ticking time bomb if you don't bypass it. I don't think Nissan ever really acknowledged this problem but it's well documented on the forums. If you don't tow you can just eliminate the cooler as it's a secondary one if I'm not mistaken. If you tow then you need to replace the cooling capacity with a separate cooler.

Also, they have a common issue with the fuel level sender failing. This has the obvious effect of the fuel gauge not working but it also throws a check engine light. It was covered under a recall that has since expired so if you're looking at one I'd figure out of it's affected and whether it's been addressed or not. You have to drop the fuel tank to fix it and I think the part was kinda expensive.

I'm not well versed on them but I'd assume these affect both the trucks and the SUVs.

It's not nearly as luxurious feeling inside as my '03 Yukon. The plastic all is functional but feels cheap. There's more road noise and it's not quite as smooth of a ride. My Yukon was like double the price when new so I guess some of that is expected. It's an ok vehicle and suits his needs but he just doesn't really like it that much. It gets awful MPG relative to what one would expect. I don't think he has ever gotten over 16-18 mpg hwy and he doesn't drive fast. I always make fun of his MPG because he barely gets 1-2 MPG better than me and we have the same commute.

out of curiosity, why aren't you comparing the yukon/tahoe to the armada/QX56?

They are pretty much exactly the same size. The armada/QX will out tow the 5.3L short wheel base GMs all day long. But they are thirsty. Our QX never did better than 15mpg ever, and towing was under 10. I did have BFG AT tires on it tho, so I'm sure that wasn't helping fuel economy.

Also the armada/QX has a much much much better fold flat third row seat than the big clunky removable thing in the GMs.

Shawn, mostly the reason is there just isn't very many around. They are also a little longer than the Tahoe. I would really like to stick with something smaller (at least narrower) than the Tahoe but I am considering them because there are just so many of them out there, I like them, they are cheap to work on and overall have proven to be reliable.

One of my friends has an '06 Pathfinder V6 4wd. There's a common issue with cross contamination between the coolant/radiator and the integrated trans cooler. It trashes the transmission if it happens. The solution is to disconnect the integrated cooler and put in a separate, aftermarket one. It's a ticking time bomb if you don't bypass it. I don't think Nissan ever really acknowledged this problem but it's well documented on the forums. If you don't tow you can just eliminate the cooler as it's a secondary one if I'm not mistaken. If you tow then you need to replace the cooling capacity with a separate cooler.

Also, they have a common issue with the fuel level sender failing. This has the obvious effect of the fuel gauge not working but it also throws a check engine light. It was covered under a recall that has since expired so if you're looking at one I'd figure out of it's affected and whether it's been addressed or not. You have to drop the fuel tank to fix it and I think the part was kinda expensive.

I'm not well versed on them but I'd assume these affect both the trucks and the SUVs.

It's not nearly as luxurious feeling inside as my '03 Yukon. The plastic all is functional but feels cheap. There's more road noise and it's not quite as smooth of a ride. My Yukon was like double the price when new so I guess some of that is expected. It's an ok vehicle and suits his needs but he just doesn't really like it that much. It gets awful MPG relative to what one would expect. I don't think he has ever gotten over 16-18 mpg hwy and he doesn't drive fast. I always make fun of his MPG because he barely gets 1-2 MPG better than me and we have the same commute.

Thanks Jeff. That is great info. So weird that the V6 in the PAth/Frontier barely gets better mpg than the Tahoe/yukon. I had a 99 expedition and loved the size and ride of the rig. That is a major plus in my eyes for the yukon/tahoe.

Have you considered a Trailblazer SS? It seems to be the size you're looking for, it tows like a demon (400 hp; big brakes), and since they never changed the styling before ending production, it still looks decent on the road. Gas mileage isn't the greatest (I average about 14 mpg), and the transmission could be better (it's kinda clunky and is only good for about 100K miles), but you can roll up beside a Porsche Cayenne with confidence (as long as it's not a Turbo, they'll get ya.)

Believe me Eric, I would love a TBSS. I was actually watching a review online and the review said it got 13 mpg average. I don't know how and I don't think my wife heard anything else from the review but right after he said that I heard this from the other room "you are not getting that car". hahahaha. I would actually consider the regular TB if it is one of the later ones. They smoothed out some of the lines in 06 I think. I would love to find one of those with the 5.3L. I think they get close to 16 or 17 average with the 5.3L. In reality the inline 6 is probably plenty of motor for me but I don't know much about them. I think they get the same MPG as the 5.3L. I have read the 4.2L is a smooth and powerful motor though. Just doesn't really get the MPG you expect out of a 6 cyl.

I totally understand. I got mine in 2006, when gas wasn't such a big deal. Another downside of the SS is that, at least in my experience, the suspension is fragile. I've probably paid a total of around $3500 in broken or bent suspension parts (upper A arms, control arms, airbags, etc.) since I've owned it. I don't know if a "regular" trailblazer would be the same.

Brett - yes 2006 Yukon SLT - with Off-road package (called the Z71 package on Chevy's) , GMC's just call it the off-road package. Bigger brakes, bigger shocks, different gearing, skid plate, different rims & tires. That's why it has that stance that sits up a bit higher in the rear.
Aboslutely NOTHING but the standard services & 1 set of tires & battery last year in 115K.(knock on wood).
Just 2 weeks ago my check engine light went on for the very first time. O2 sensor $200.

The Denali had a recall on something in the steering & the AC and that was it in 80K. NO probs either.

Good to hear Migs. My buddy has an 01 hoe that he got in 04 or 05 as a certified preowned model. HE is up over 100k and I don't think he has done a single repair outside of the normal maintanence although I believe is front dif. is going out now. Been a great rig for him.

I cant say enough about my yukons - from day 1 they've all had to tow boats every weekend & hit the sierras every weekend in the winter.
Not 1 of my 5 ever had any issues besides the 2 recalls for the denali. I don't think I could ever buy anything else for my boat/snow rig.
Unless I get a G21, then I may have to get into a diesel

I do get all of them with extended warranty's and do every single recommended services at the dealer. I'm sure that has something to do with their reliability. Im just anal like that with my cars & boats.

2001 Pathfinder bought new with 32 miles. Now has 277,xxx. Aside from tires, oil, and 2 serpantine belts, it is all original.

Towed 1999 Super Air with tandem axle trailer from 2003-2011. I installed air bags for the tongue weight and it did run 5000 RPM at 45 MPH on a 7% grade in West Virginia but otherwise not too bad. When in Louisiana, where everything is flat, it was fine.

Had a 2007 Tahoe LTZ with auto ride (rear load leveling) and loved it. Never had one problem with it and it towed good. If you're going to tow a heavier boat, definitely get the auto ride load leveling. 3rd row seats were fairly easy to remove when extra cargo room was needed. When it was loaded down (me,wife, 3 kids, 2 dogs, and luggage) plus towing the boat, I would have to get on the throttle pretty hard to get up some of the steeper hills. Wold get 9-10 MPG towing on highway. It was tough and got the job done for us, but of course there are better options out there if towing is the main concern. If you don't need all the interior space and versatility of an SUV, I would say go with a pickup. Bought a 15 GMC 2500HD with the 6.6 Duramax diesel and Allison transmission about 3 months ago and it's a towing beast. I actually get better highway MPG with it than I did with the tahoe and better MPG towing (i get around 13 MPG towing). Can't fit the whole family and dogs in it like the SUV, but one kid is driving now (and I'm getting more gray hair) so that gives us more options when we travel. I haven't driven an older GMC or Chevy diesel (mid 2000s) but I'm sure the performance is very similar. I've talked to some people who have them and they all love theirs. One guy had an 06 GMC diesel with 200K+ miles on it and he said it's still going strong. He was getting ready to give that one to his son and buy a new one. From what I've seen and heard, you can't go wrong with a GMC or Chevy diesel. There are Ford and Dodge guys out there who will argue with me, but that's my $0.02 for you.
I would say evaluate your intended use to help you decide. What will it be used for primarily, what will you tow with it and will it handle it well, do you have a big or small family, will it be a good every day vehicle (back and forth to work, grocery store, etc), and make sure you like the style, features, etc. Good luck and you'll find the right one for you, I'm sure.

Thanks David. A full size pickup is not an option, especially an HD version. I wouldn't even be thinking about an SUV other than they are a lot easier to find in that 10-15k price range I would be looking in and the only real options for a crew cab(can't do an extended, must be a true crew cab) are the frontier and tacoma.

Good to hear about the Tahoe. I don't need a towing monster. Hell right now I don't even have anything to tow other than my father's 16' arima which they tow with an Acura RDX.

Thanks David. A full size pickup is not an option, especially an HD version. I wouldn't even be thinking about an SUV other than they are a lot easier to find in that 10-15k price range I would be looking in and the only real options for a crew cab(can't do an extended, must be a true crew cab) are the frontier and tacoma.

Good to hear about the Tahoe. I don't need a towing monster. Hell right now I don't even have anything to tow other than my father's 16' arima which they tow with an Acura RDX.

No problem, Brett. You have a lot of choices since you don't really need it for towing. I've never owned one, but Toyota makes a good truck. Some of my friends have owned them and have been very happy. Good luck with your search!

The Sequoia is definitely something I will consider as well. They are a little smaller than the armada and there is more of them around. Hard to argue with the resale and reliability of the toyota although for some reason the Tundra's/Sequoias don't have the same ridiculous resale as the 4runners/tacomas.

I know, its kinda crazy what a 10 year old tacoma or runner with 300K on the clock will pull. their smaller engines are bulletproof, the v8s are pretty good too, but have a big ticket timing belt maintenance at 90K. Make sure you its been done if the mileage is close.

I will add to the Yukon (Denali) praises. Since 2008, I've towed with a 2004 Yukon Denali 6.0 AWD. LOVE the auto-leveling shocks in the rear. Last year, I did have to replace those shocks and air pump, but did it myself relatively easily with Arnott parts: https://www.arnottindustries.com/par...d15_pid95.html
The truck tows easily in 100+ heat with AC on and virtually no movement in temp. Mine has 125,000 miles on it and going strong.

I'll join in I have a 04 Tahoe on 33's with the 5.3 and it pulls our Mojo fine with 165K on the clock. Are there times I wish I had more HP of course but it has been a great vehicle for us and I don't see getting rid of it anytime soon. They are extremely easy to work on and pretty much any backyard shop can do it.

On the Tahoe/Yukon -
The 5.3 is a bit underpowered.
Check rpo codes, I believe they also come with the g80 differential, which is ****
And the 4l60e is a junk ass transmission, that does not like to tow.
I have an 05 silverado. Same drive train.
Now for the pros-
Very simple to repair and maintain. Parts are cheap, and labor is simple. Treat them well they will run forever.
The LS platform engine is 2nd to none, hence why it is a major favorite for swaps and performance modifications.
My 2 biggest gripes with these are the rear ends and transmissions.
Needless to say, my truck is cammed, head swapped, semi built trans, and a truetrac.
Pick one up, you'll enjoy it

The Good: Drivetrain-wise it was very sound. Never had a single issue w/motor or transmission (except electrical stuff below). Got "decent" MPG's and towed our boat (Supra Launch SL) just fine. It rode nice too and was fairly nimble to drive as others have noted.

The Bad: They have barely any storage room w/the 3rd row up (suburban/XL have more of course). They're very susceptible to cross wind buffeting and had a lot of nose dive when braking which drove me crazy. Also, the brakes were too soft/weak. That era Tahoe/Yukon has a known issue w/a steering component that causes some clunking/loose feel in the steering. It's not a safety issue (according to GM) and there was a recall on them to replace some shaft component originally, but they gave the dealers an out to just grease them and send you on your way. This only lasts for a few thousand miles or so. You have to replace the wheel hubs at about 80-100kmiles. which you can do yourself if you're mechanically inclined.

The Ugly: The fit and finish SUCKED... plastic door panels that squeaked when you leaned on them, paint that rubbed off the radio controls w/in the 1st year. Lot's of electrical bugs: switches in the driver's seat that got all jacked up and all but quit working after about 50k miles. Rear heat went out at about 50-60k miles. At about 100k some control component in the AC went out and it would randomly go from cold to hot which is a HUGE deal in Texas heat. I seemed to always be replacing batteries in it. And finally at about 140k it would randomly not start...not even click the solenoid. You'd have to hit the key a few times, then it would fire right up. Then not do that again for another week or so. It was my wife's daily driver and that last issue was the final straw.

We traded it in on a '15 GMC Acadia which actually has more room inside than a Tahoe. Both for storage and 3rd row seating. i can sit pretty comfortably in the back. Any towing we do now is w/my Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins which is a BEAST.

The Good: Drivetrain-wise it was very sound. Never had a single issue w/motor or transmission (except electrical stuff below). Got "decent" MPG's and towed our boat (Supra Launch SL) just fine. It rode nice too and was fairly nimble to drive as others have noted.

The Bad: They have barely any storage room w/the 3rd row up (suburban/XL have more of course). They're very susceptible to cross wind buffeting and had a lot of nose dive when braking which drove me crazy. Also, the brakes were too soft/weak. That era Tahoe/Yukon has a known issue w/a steering component that causes some clunking/loose feel in the steering. It's not a safety issue (according to GM) and there was a recall on them to replace some shaft component originally, but they gave the dealers an out to just grease them and send you on your way. This only lasts for a few thousand miles or so. You have to replace the wheel hubs at about 80-100kmiles. which you can do yourself if you're mechanically inclined.

The Ugly: The fit and finish SUCKED... plastic door panels that squeaked when you leaned on them, paint that rubbed off the radio controls w/in the 1st year. Lot's of electrical bugs: switches in the driver's seat that got all jacked up and all but quit working after about 50k miles. Rear heat went out at about 50-60k miles. At about 100k some control component in the AC went out and it would randomly go from cold to hot which is a HUGE deal in Texas heat. I seemed to always be replacing batteries in it. And finally at about 140k it would randomly not start...not even click the solenoid. You'd have to hit the key a few times, then it would fire right up. Then not do that again for another week or so. It was my wife's daily driver and that last issue was the final straw.

We traded it in on a '15 GMC Acadia which actually has more room inside than a Tahoe. Both for storage and 3rd row seating. i can sit pretty comfortably in the back. Any towing we do now is w/my Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins which is a BEAST.

Never understood them painting dash parts. Just about every Tahoe I've been in looked like someone hit the dash a few times with the ugly stick.

What SUV during the years of 2000-2006 trumped the Tahoe/Yukon, in it's equivalent price range?
I think for it's time period and competition, it did pretty darn well interior and exterior in looks and finish.

Forgot about this. My brakes are garbage. Everything is in good shape and working order but they're the worst brakes of any vehicle I've ever owned. I plan to swap in the larger police pursuit vehicle rotors and calipers from the 07+ as soon as some parts wear out. It's a direct bolt in install and supposedly gives a noticeable improvement for very little money compared to the aftermarket options.

I haven't. I probably won't buy anything for another couple of months. I took a contract for hire position with a software company in may and want to wait until I am an FTE and things look a little more for sure.

Still doing research online. To be honest I like the idea of a Trailblazer although I think I would want to find one with the 5.3L and they are a little hard to find. I still like the idea of a pathfinder, frontier or Tahoe/yukon as well.

Id look for an 07' + model Tahoe/Yukon. That's the newer body style and they're considerably cheaper now that the new 2015 models are out. I've had both pre 07 and post 07 and the newer ones are obviously nicer and look more current with today's styling. Lots of power but you'll take a hit on most full size SUVs w/ the gas mileage compared to a mid size especially when towing.